Phil Twyford has re-announced previous announcements from the former government, committing to increasing taxes on road users to pay for rail, trams and buses, with only a couple of important roading upgrades.

More than $28 billion will be spent fixing Auckland’s transport network over the next decade, Auckland Council and the Government have announced.

“We will be building vital projects including light rail, Penlink and Mill Road, heavy rail and bus upgrades, safety improvements, and more dedicated cycle lanes,” Transport Minister Phil Twyford said on Thursday, unveiling the new Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP).

Although it’s more than the $26.9 billion the previous National Government planned to spend, Mr Twyford said the funding shortfall has been narrowed thanks to the council’s planned regional fuel tax, which will come into place later this year.

“These much-needed investments are made possible by a $4.4 billion funding boost resulting from the Auckland fuel tax, increased revenue from the National Land Transport Fund, and Crown Infrastructure Partners contributions.

“This plan is funded to deliver the projects we are committed to. The previous ATAP report, released by former Transport Minister Simon Bridges in August 2017, had a $5.9 billion funding gap. National had no plan to fix that fiscal hole, which would have meant the projects they promised couldn’t have been delivered.”

“The updated package is expected to encourage a stronger shift towards public transport usage, a higher proportion of journeys by bike, more urban development around rapid transit corridors, improved safety outcomes and reduced environmental harm.” End quote.

We don’t need more cycle lanes; we needs less of them. Road users are being stiffed for bludging road maggots. I don’t want to use public transport, or bikes, but I am having to pay for them. Do we actually get a choice in this?

On top of that here come the taxes. Phil Goff has always been happy raiding tax and ratepayers’ pockets. Quote:

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the fuel tax will avoid a 13 percent rates rise. He told The AM Show on Thursday morning Aucklanders are “realistic” about the need to pay for better transport infrastructure, and repeated that at the midday announcement, made at Newmarket train station.

“Alternatively, to do nothing would see Auckland become increasingly gridlocked.”

Even $28 billion isn’t expected to be enough, however.

“ATAP represents a significant increase in investment in our transport network, but we still need to find innovative ways to fund further development such as PPPs, special purpose vehicles or infrastructure bonds,” said Mr Goff.

The $1.8 billion set aside for light rail will need outside investment, he said, which is currently being sought.

Around $800 million has been set aside for funding of the East-West Link – less than half the previous estimate of $1.75 billion.

Auckland will get only 38 percent of the National Land Transport Fund over the next decade, despite growing much faster than the rest of the country. Around 55 percent of all population growth in New Zealand over the next 10 years is expected to be concentrated in the Auckland region.

“You can’t keep growing your population at a rate faster than almost any other developed city in the world, then not put the money into infrastructure to make sure people can get around it. That’s been the problem,” Mr Goff told The AM Show.

The Penlink roading project will be a toll road, Mr Twyford confirmed. End quote.

They are happy to steal taxes off Aucklanders but only return two-thirds of that on roading spending. As for Goff claiming a fuel tax is better than a rate increase? I mean, what is that about? He’s just pleased it will be the government that gets blamed for increased taxes and not him.

Personally, I’m happy about Penlink being built. That will make a huge improvement for me… when I have to go into town. But, the most ludicrous part of all of this is putting a busway in to Puhunui and running a tram to the airport via Dominion Road. It would have been much cheaper and more efficient to put a rail loop from Puhunui to the airport. That route is a lot shorter, and cheaper than a ridiculous tram line that will kill traffic on Dominion Road, not to mention businesses. The disruption is going to be immense.

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As much at home writing editorials as being the subject of them, Cam has won awards, including the Canon Media Award for his work on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang story. When he’s not creating the news, he tends to be in it, with protagonists using the courts, media and social media to deliver financial as well as death threats.

They say that news is something that someone, somewhere, wants kept quiet. Cam Slater doesn’t do quiet and, as a result, he is a polarising, controversial but highly effective journalist who takes no prisoners.